In court records, it is revealed that the plot to harm a jail official, which led to the initiation of Project South, a case involving police corruption and organized crime, was orchestrated by individuals who hired hitmen using fake identities on an encrypted messaging platform. Prior to the alleged murder attempt, the suspects purportedly utilized the Signal app to exchange personal details and images of the target, a high-ranking corrections officer at Toronto South Detention Centre, whose identity remains shielded by a publication ban. The Crown prosecutors’ factum, submitted in Ontario Superior Court, outlines how intercepted conversations on confiscated cellphones suggest the involvement of an alleged network offering gun-for-hire services in the attempted assassination.
The investigation into Project South commenced in June 2025 following the intervention of York Regional Police, who thwarted the planned attack when the suspect’s vehicle collided with a police car stationed near the jail official’s residence. Initially, nearly 30 individuals, including seven Toronto police officers and a retired constable, faced charges in connection with Project South. Subsequently, one officer pleaded guilty, while another individual had their charges dropped.
Dequon Lemonious, purportedly identified as “Danny Phantom,” reportedly communicated with Median Jackson, known as “Lebron James,” requesting reconnaissance on the target’s address. Lemonious allegedly shared the official’s personal information and vehicle details obtained from an unauthorized search of the Ministry of Transportation’s database, believed to have been facilitated by a Toronto police officer. Discussions between Lemonious and Jackson involved not only the planned assassination but also other criminal activities, with Lemonious providing information for Jackson to subcontract to others for monetary gain.
Further Signal messages retrieved from the cellphone of Devonte Barker-Campbell, using the alias “Dwayne Casey,” revealed attempts to recruit individuals for the murder plot. Barker-Campbell allegedly shared the corrections officer’s details with a user named “Thunder” before forwarding the same information to another person identified as “Reality.” Reality expressed readiness to proceed with the plan, and arrangements were made for a team of assailants to visit the officer’s residence.
During the operation, a group of individuals, including Almar Heath, two unidentified youths, and others, were apprehended with incriminating evidence such as a loaded handgun, masks, gloves, and GPS directions to the officer’s home. Charges of conspiracy to murder the jail official have been levied against Heath, Jackson, Lemonious, Barker-Campbell, and the juveniles, although these allegations are yet to be adjudicated in court.
In the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt had allegedly accessed and disseminated confidential information about the corrections officer through the MTO database. Barnhardt’s legal team has indicated their intention to present his defense in court rather than engage in media discussions.
The factum also details instances where the suspect vehicle was observed near the officer’s residence, culminating in the arrests following a police surveillance operation. Additional video evidence implicates Jackson and Lemonious in a separate shooting incident at a restaurant, where the blue Acura was initially intended for use but was replaced due to technical issues.
The unfolding events underscore the complex web of criminal activities and the alleged involvement of law enforcement personnel in facilitating illicit operations, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of the Project South investigation.
